The Ministry of Education is doing a poor job
Dear Editor,
Recently, we noticed that the Minister of Education appears to be getting more and more desperate as her record of real achievement in educating the children of Guyana crumbles around her.
Being the Minister of Education is not only about political sound bites, it is also about leadership and tangible outcomes to enhance the welfare and well-being of our children. But the Minister seems to be more interested in photo ops, vulgar and abusive cuss-down language.
In May 2011, the Minister reminded us that the PPP visions for Guyana’s children were that they want the children of Guyana “to be happy, to be safe, to have a good education, to be prepared to be productive citizens…”
Shaik Baksh left the education portfolio with a pass rate at Mathematics of 35 percent but under the current Minister of Education, the pass rate in Maths has fallen drastically. Today 71 percent or some 8,500 students have failed Mathematics at the CSEC level . They are ineligible to be accepted at any proper university to further their education.
This kind of implosion that took place under the Minister’s watch suggests that she has failed the children and parents of Guyana.
As parents, we deserve better for our children. We believe that not being able to provide our children with a proper education will inhibit the development of the country.
With such a dreadful track record and with no real plan, policy or strategy for improvement, it is no wonder that she spends much of her time on NCN peddling propaganda and in Parliament hurling personal insults against her fellow MPs.
The minister should have apologized to Jaipaul Sharma for her rude remark and to the Speaker for her arrogant behavior. Regrettably, such behavior is accepted by her party as the norm.
If Minister Manickchand was so concerned about the victims of sexual abuse as she claimed, then she would have used her office to ensure the Sexual Offence Act of 2010 is fully enforced. The alleged victims whom she chose to bring into the limelight would be so much better off if their alleged oppressors are behind bars.
This would have provided a much safer environment with access to a good education in order to make them more productive citizens. But one must ask what has Ms. Manickchand done to bring justice to these victims? Very little!
In such a situation, she has no right to use them as poster children to advance her political ambitions since that is nothing else but political prostitution.
How much better is that than what takes place on the grounds of the Cenotaph at nights? Teachers, parents and students are disappointed with her raucous behavior and are distancing themselves from her. She is considered one of the PPP foremost propagandists. It is not the Minister or the PPP that is suffering; it is our children.
Dr. Terrence Simon,
Asha Balbachan,
Derrick Arjune,
Chandra Deollal, Esq.
Rohit Misir,
Dr. Reginald Watkins,
Donna Mathoo,
Noes Moses,
Aubrey Reteymer,
Vicki Rampersaud
Guilianna Jacobs,
Dr. Devita Khan,
Asquith Rose,
Ramesh Sookram,
Harish Singh.
Dr. Vincent Nauth